Four teens suspected of smoking ‘zombie cigarettes’ seen collapsing and convulsing in Punggol

SINGAPORE: Four teenagers were filmed behaving erratically and collapsing at Punggol Town Square late at night, sparking alarm among bystanders who feared the youths had inhaled potent illicit e-cigarettes known as “zombie cigarettes.”

A video of the incident was posted on Instagram by SgFollowsAll on Tuesday (24 June). The footage shows one teenager sprawled on his back on the ground, apparently unresponsive, while three others staggered unsteadily and appeared disoriented.

At one point, a youth dressed in black clothes stumbled before falling to the pavement. Another teenager in a white outfit was seen approaching a companion, hugging him briefly, and then squatting on the ground, apparently unable to maintain balance.

Witnesses described the group as behaving like “the walking dead,” their bodies shaking and movements jerky.

According to the person who recorded the video, he and his friends suspected the teenagers had smoked “zombie cigarettes,” also called “KPods,” before the incident. The group promptly contacted the police to report the matter and left the area.

It is understood that KPods are a type of e-cigarette cartridge believed to contain etomidate, an anaesthetic drug used in medical settings for sedation. The Health Sciences Authority (HSA) has previously warned that inhaling etomidate can trigger severe side effects, including nausea, vomiting, involuntary muscle spasms, disrupted breathing and blood pressure, mental confusion, and even seizures.

The sale, purchase, possession, or use of e-cigarettes is strictly prohibited in Singapore with offenders facing fines of up to $2,000. Possession or use of e-cigarettes containing controlled substances like etomidate is treated more seriously and offenders may be jailed for up to two years, fined up to $10,000, or both.